The Huveaune Spring is a seasonal artesian spring (the river stream is dried up in the summer and under water during the winter. The waters circulated through the surrounding Jurassic and Cretaceous limestones and due to a change in the physico-chemical conditions (different pressure, pH and tempature) favours the precipitation of calcium carbonate, calcite. The result is the abundant presence of travertines (and potentially microbialites) close to the spring that gradually diminishes the further away from the spring.
The Huveaune Spring is close to the town Saint Pons about 1hr drive from Marseille and easily accessible from the car park (about 30min walk on flat lands). However due to its popularity a lot of fences have been put in place by the local government to try to protect the travertines.
All images are copyright Dr Arnaud Gallois